Rating Rationale
August 02, 2017 | Mumbai
Century Enka Limited
Short-term rating upgraded to 'CRISIL A1+' 
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.663 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A+/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Upgraded from 'CRISIL A1')
 
Rs.150 Crore Short Term Debt CRISIL A1+ (Upgraded from CRISIL A1)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has upgraded its rating on the short term debt and short term bank loan facilities of Century Enka Limited (Cenka) to 'CRISIL A1+' from 'CRISIL A1'. The rating on its long term bank loan facilities have been reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A+/Stable'.

The upgrade reflects expectation that the company's liquidity profile (characterised by sizable cash balance and low bank limit utilisation) will continue to remain strong supported by comfortable cash accruals and absence of major debt funded capital expenditure going forward. Cenka has maintained cash equivalents of around Rs 75 crores over the past two fiscals. Furthermore, Cenka has thinly utilized its bank lines. CRISIL believes that the available liquidity will be maintained over the medium term in the absence of any major expansion plans.

Financial flexibility is strong, supported by a healthy capital structure and cash accrual of Rs 115 crore in fiscal 2017 (Rs 80 crore in fiscal 2016). It is expected to generate adequate net cash accrual, supported by the steady performance in the nylon tyre cord fabric (NTCF) division, to meet debt obligations of around Rs 14.4 crore due in fiscal 2018.

CRISIL's ratings on the bank facilities of Cenka continue to reflect the company's healthy financial risk profile and established market position in the NTCF division. These strengths are partially offset by reducing demand for NTCF due to increasing radialisation in the tyre industry, and susceptibility of operating margin to volatility in input prices, especially caprolactum.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Healthy financial risk profile

Cenka has a healthy financial risk profile, marked by low gearing of 0.06 time as on March 31, 2017. Capital structure is supported by a strong networth of Rs 852 crore. Debt protection measures for fiscal 2017 were also healthy. The net cash accrual to adjusted debt ratio for fiscal 2017 stood at 2.19 times (1.15 times in fiscal 2016) and the interest coverage ratio stood at 27.8 times (14.8 times). Cenka should maintain a healthy financial risk profile in the absence of any large debt-funded capex.

* Market leadership in the NTCF businesses
Cenka is the second-largest player in the domestic NTCF industry, with a market share of around 23%. It has backward integrated into manufacturing nylon chips, which has helped the NTCF segment maintain a healthy operating margin in fiscal 2017. The company also enjoys strong relationships with its clients, including tyre manufacturers such as Apollo Tyres Ltd (rated 'CRISIL AA+/Stable/CRISIL A1+'), MRF Ltd, Kesoram Industries Ltd, and JK Industries Ltd. 

The overall demand for NTCF is expected to remain stable, as pick-up of radialisation trend in LCV/MHCV segment would be offset by overall growth in India's tyre market. Further, the company benefits from anti-dumping duties on imported NTCF which range from $ 0.52/kg to $ 1.10/kg. Given the strong market position, and anti-dumping duties on imported NTCF the company's margins are expected to be sustained over the medium term. Any change in anti-dumping duty will be a key rating sensitivity factor.

Weakness

* Susceptibility to volatility in input prices because of commodity nature of products 
Cost of production and profit margin hinge on crude oil prices as the company uses petrochemical-based raw material, mainly caprolactum. Furthermore, in NTCF, with domestic prices following import price parity, large-scale dumping in the domestic market by Southeast Asian players have exerted pressure on margins. While imposition of anti-dumping duty on import of NTCF has helped domestic players increase prices, the business remains vulnerable to volatility in raw material prices as raw material costs account for 65-70% of net sales. Further Nylon Filament Yarn (contributes 38% of its turnover) is a commodity product and is also exposed to volatility in input prices. 

* Increasing adoption of radial tyres
Adoption of radial tyres is expected to accelerate over the medium term in line with global trends. The radialisation in truck and bus tyres, the largest category for NTCF, is set to have increased to 38% in fiscal 2017 from 33% in fiscal 2015 and to reach 60-65% over the next five years through 2021-22. Despite bias tyres being more suited to Indian roads, the increased adoption of radial tyres in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) & medium heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) segments will moderately affect demand outlook for NTCF. However, overall demand for NTCF is expected to remain stable, as pick-up of radialisation trend in LCV/MHCV segment would be offset by overall growth in India's tyre market (8.6% CAGR between 2001 and 2017).
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes that Cenka will continue to benefit from its established market position in NTCF division and is likely to maintain its profitability over the medium term. Continued healthy cash generation, and funding of capex largely through accruals, is expected to result in key credit metrics remaining at comfortable levels.

Upside Scenario
* Improvement in revenue diversity and sustenance of strong operating performance 
* Maintenance of healthy financial risk profile.

Downside Scenario
* Lower-than-expected revenues or profitability on a sustained basis
* Sharp decrease in demand for NTCF, adversely affecting business risk profile
* Large debt-funded capex programme, weakening capital structure. 

About the Company

Cenka was jointly promoted in 1965 by the BK Birla group and Enka International (Enka; part of the Netherlands-based Akzo Nobel group). Cenka manufactures industrial and textile yarn and fabric. Its products include NTCF and NFY. Its NTCF plants in Pune (Maharashtra) and Bharuch have a combined capacity of 29,500 tonnes per annum (tpa), while its synthetic yarn plants in Pune, Bharuch, and Mahad (Maharashtra) have a combined capacity of 24,000 tpa. Cenka suspended operations at its polyester unit in November 2013 as it was incurring losses on account of a weak industry environment.

For fiscal 2017, Cenka reported a net profit of Rs.91 crore on net sales of Rs.1188 crore, against a net profit of Rs.60 crore on net sales of Rs.1150 crore for fiscal 2016.

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of instrument Date of Allotment Coupon Rate (%) Maturity Date Issue Size
(Rs Cr)
Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Short Term Debt NA NA 7-365 days 150 CRISIL A1+
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 111 CRISIL A+/Stable
NA Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 377 CRISIL A1+
NA Proposed Cash Credit Limit NA NA NA 12 CRISIL A+/Stable
NA Proposed Letter of Credit & Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 30 CRISIL A1+
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 85 CRISIL A+/Stable
NA Term Loan NA NA Nov-2020 24 CRISIL A+/Stable
NA Term Loan NA NA Dec-2020 24 CRISIL A+/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2017 (History) 2016  2015  2014  Start of 2014
Instrument Type Quantum Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Short Term Debt  ST  150  CRISIL A1+    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  CRISIL A1 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  256  CRISIL A+/Stable    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  CRISIL A+/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  407  CRISIL A1+    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  CRISIL A1 
Table reflects instances where rating is changed or freshly assigned. 'No Rating Change' implies that there was no rating change under the release.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Cash Credit 111 CRISIL A+/Stable Cash Credit 244 CRISIL A+/Stable
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 377 CRISIL A1+ Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 150 CRISIL A1
Proposed Cash Credit Limit 12 CRISIL A+/Stable Proposed Cash Credit Limit 6 CRISIL A+/Stable
Proposed Letter of Credit & Bank Guarantee 30 CRISIL A1+ Proposed Letter of Credit & Bank Guarantee 100 CRISIL A1
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 85 CRISIL A+/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 84 CRISIL A+/Stable
Term Loan 48 CRISIL A+/Stable Term Loan 79 CRISIL A+/Stable
Total 663 -- Total 663 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
Criteria for rating Short-Term Debt (including Commercial Paper)

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